Target game



Sept. 29, 1936- c. F. COOKSON TARGET GAME Filed Sept. 16, 1955 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 29, 1936 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,056,095 TARGET GAME sylvania Application September 16, 1935, Serial No. 40,678 4 Claims. (01.273-102) My invention consists in new and useful improvements in the type of game wherein a dart is thrown by the player at a game board and the value to be scored for the play is determined by the location of the dart on the board.

While for the sake of clearness in description I have illustrated the game as arranged to simulate a game of baseball, it will be understood that the principles of my invention may be applied to other characters of field or other games or to the simulation thereof.

Generally speaking my invention comprises a game board upon which is mounted a freely rotating disk which is spun and then the player throws a dart at the disk, which if it strikes and adheres to the disk causes the same to come to rest with the dart beneath the axis of the disks rotation, and the position of the disk relative tothe indicia marked on the board indicates the result of the play.

The board is divided into spaces marked with scoring indicia and the disk is provided with indicating means.

Other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the game board with a thrown dart adhering to the face of the disk.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a broken front view of the board with the disk removed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on enlarged scale and showing the pivotal mounting of the disk.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing two characters of darts which may be used in playing a game with the board. 7

Referring in detail to the drawing, I represents the game board which presents a fiat front surface or face and which may be provided with an edge frame or border 2.

The board may be made of wood, of a suitable composition, or of metal. In case darts provided with suction-cup heads are used any of these materials are suitable, but if puncture darts are employed in playing the game the material of the board must be such that the sharp pin of the dart will penetrate the board and support the dart in position.

Any means may be provided for supporting the board I in a vertical or inclined position. Thus I have shown an easel leg 3.

On the front face of the board I and radiating from itscenter are marked off a series of sectors indicated at 4 and 5. These sectors are exteriorly bound by the concentric circle 6. The sectors 4 and 5 are preferably alternately arranged.

The sectors 4 have marked thereon some distance from their outer ends the large numerals 1, '2, 3 and 4 whichrepresent "one base hits; ftwo base hits; three base hits, and a home run, respectively, the sectors bearing the numeral 1 being in greater number than those bearing the numeral 2, the latter sectors being more numerous than those bearing the numeral 3, and there being only one sector bearing the numeral 4, thus more or less approximating the relative frequency in the occurrence of these several results of a time at ba These numerals are arranged in annular series concentric with the sectors.

The sectors 5 are marked adjacent their outer ends with indicia of other results of a play, such for instance as a time at bat in baseball. Thus some are marked Out; another Foul strike; another Foul out. Another is marked Bunt and divided radially into Safe and Out. Another may be marked Muff and be radially dividedinto 1B and 2B to indicate that the error occurred at either first base or a second base.

The indicia on the sectors 5 are intended to approximate in their relative frequency of occurrence the relative chances of such occurrence in the field game of base ball.

1 represents an outer concentric circle marked on the board, which is divided by the radial lines 8 into arcuate spaces 9 which are marked with indicia representing still other results of play, the relative lengths of spaces 9 being intended to approximate their relative frequencies of occurrence. Thus four of the longer spaces 9 are marked Strike and two shorter ones are marked Ball, to indicate either a successful or unsuccessful pitch by the pitcher.

Outside of the outer circle I the board may be providedwith defined spaces ll indicating results more disastrous to the players side. Thus I show circles in the corners of the board marked .Double play and Triple play, the former being larger and therefore more likely to be struck by the thrown dart.

l2 represents a flat disk which may also be made of wood, composition or metal. If a puncture dart is to be used metal of course is not suitable.

The disk is mounted on the front face of the board I on an axis concentric with the sectors 4 and and is freely rotatable. Thus it may be fixed on the rearwardly extending pintle l 3 which is journaled in a sleeve bearing [4, mounted on the board I, and held against longitudinal movement by the cotter pin I5.

The front face of the disk I2 is provided with markings suitable to the game for which the A board is arranged.

be indicated as at l8. a

The diameter of the disk is such that it covers the value-indicating numerals 1,2, 3 and 4 on the sectors 4 but the value-indicia on the sectors 5 are exposed.

The disk 12 is providedwith an eccentrlcally positioned aperture or hole I! which is the proper radial distance from the axis of the disk to register with the circle on whichthe indicating numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 are arranged so that at certain positions of the disk one of these numerals is exposed to view.

The disk is also provided with a pointer arrow [8 near its perimeter and radially alined with the hole l? so that when the disk is halted with the hole registering with one of the sectors 5 the arrow will point to the corresponding indicia, such as out;

The game is played by throwing a dart at the board and disk and the value of the result of the play is indicated by the result of the adherence of the dart to the board or the disk.

Either the form of dart indicated at 19 in Fig. 5, having a suction cup head 20, or theform shown at 2| in Fig. 6 whose head is provided with a puncture pin 22, may be used. If the pin type dart is used the material of the board and disk should be such that the dart will stick in the material and thus adhere to the board or disk.

When a play is to take place the opponent spins the disk and while it is rotating the player throws the dart at the disk. If he is successful in hitting the'disk, the dart adheres to the disk and causes it to come to rest with the overbalancing dart beneath the axis of the disk. If the hole l1 stops in registry with one of the sectors B the player has made a one-base hit, a twobase hit,-a three-base hit or a home run, in accordance with the indicating numeral exposed in the hole H.

In case the disk comes to rest with the hole I! registering with one of the sectors 5, the arrow 18 indicates the'result of the play by pointing to the indicia on the said sector which will indicate whether the player is out, has fouled out, has batted an uncaught foul, has bunted with or without reaching first base, or his batted ball has been muffed either at first or second base.

In case the dart misses the disk and adheres to the board I in one of the arcuate spaces 9, the indicia marked on the space will show whether the player has had a strike or a ball called on'him.

If the player is so unskillful or unfortunate to strike one of the circles ll, his side has experi enced a double play or a triple play, as the case may be. I

By approximating as far as conveniently possible the relative frequency of the various playing results by proportioning their size or area and also their proximity to the axis of the disk, the advantage of skill in playing the game is magnified.

It is evident that the invention may be readily applied, to a game. board arranged for playing various other types of games and for simulating many different kinds of outdoor games and pastimes, without departing from the range of its novelty.

Iclaim: 1. In a target game to be played with an adhering dart the combination of a board having its front face provided with a plurality of concentric sectors marked with indicia of values of results of play, a circular disk mounted to rotate on the face of the board coaxially with the sectors, said; disk being provided with an eccentrically positioned hole which exposes the indicia on one of-said sectors'when the disk comes to rest.

2; In a target game to be played with an adhering 'dartythe combination of a board having its front face provided with a plurality of concentric sectors marked with indicia of values of results of play; a circular disk mounted to rotate on the face of the board coaxially' with the sectors, said disk being provided with an eccentrically positioned hole and a pointer associated therewith and the indicia on some of said sectors being in the path of said hole and the indicia on other of said sectors being exposed at the perimeter of the disk whereby when the disk comes to rest with the hole in registry with the first named sectors the value of the indicia thereon is indicated' but when the hole comes to rest in registry with one of thesecond named sectors the pointer indicates the value of the result.

3. In a target game to be played with an adhering dart, the combination of a board having its front face provided with a plurality of concentric sectors marked with indicia of values of results of play, a circular disk mounted to rotate on the face ofthe' board coaxiaily with the sectors, said disk being provided-with an eccentrically positioned hole which exposes the indicia on one of said sectors when'thedisk comes to rest, the position of the-disk'when it comes to rest after being spun being determined by the overbalancing weight of the adhering dart.

4. In a target game to be played with an adhering dart, the combination of a board having its front face provided with a plurality of concentric sectors marked with indicia of values of results of play, a circular disk mounted to rotate on the face of the board coa'xially with the sectors, said disk being'provided with an eccentrically positioned hole and a pointer associated therewith and the indicia on some of said sectors being in the path of said hole and the indicia on other of said sectors being exposed at the perimeter of the disk whereby when the disk comes to rest with the hole in registry with the first named sectors the value of the indicia thereon is indicated but when the hole comes to rest in registry with one of the second named sectors the pointer indicates the value of the result, the position of the disk when it comes to rest after being spun being determined by the overbalancing weight of the adhering dart.

(CLARENCE F. COOKSON. 

